Evaluation of Efficacy and Immune Modulation Associated with the Addition of IMiDs to Daratumumab Backbone in Patients Refractory to Both Drug Classes

Despite significant improvements in myeloma (MM) therapies, patients (pts) refractory to immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs), proteasome inhibitors (PIs) and anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Daratumumab (DARA), an anti-CD38 mAb, is active in pts with relapsed/refractory MM through mechanisms that include complement-dependent and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis, apoptosis and immunomodulation. DARA + IMiDs have substantial efficacy, probably through the combination of their immune and microenvironmental effects. The mechanisms of resistance are not fully elucidated but resistance to DARA may be reversed by addition of IMiDs and vice versa, as previously shown (Gavriatopoulou Blood 2019, Nooka Cancer 2019). We prospectively evaluated the combination of DARA + IMiD following refractoriness to both agents, to assess clinical activity but also to longitudinally assess immune cell populations in the peripheral blood (PB) in order to understand the resulting immunomodulation.